Senate wants investigation into the death of 30 miners in Niger

The Senate has mandated the Committee connected Solid Minerals to analyse the origin of a rockslide successful Farin Doki community, Shiroro Local Government of Niger.

The rockslide buried 30 informal miners live astatine a golden mining site.

This followed the adoption of a question astatine plenary connected Thursday successful Abuja connected an “urgent request to code the incidental of the rockslide.”

The question was sponsored by Sen. Mohammed Sani (APC-Niger East).

Sani said that connected June 3, a catastrophic rockslide occurred astatine an unfastened pit golden mine, resulting successful 30 section informal miners being buried live successful the Farin Doki Community.

He said that the tract was adjacent Erena successful Shiroro Local Government, Niger East Senatorial District.

Sani said the miners, successful their quests for golden and lithium minerals, met their untimely decease arsenic the avalanche caved in; burying them nether tonnes of rubbles.

He said the tragic incidental underscored the urgent request for a holistic enactment to beryllium taken to code the dangers faced and posed by section mining activities crossed the country.

Sani said it was imperative to unafraid the mining sites to forestall aboriginal occurrences and debar further nonaccomplishment of life.

“This volition spell a agelong mode to guarantee that mining activities are conducted safely and legally to forestall aboriginal tragedies and amended the wide well- being of miners crossed the country,” helium said.

He expressed interest that the bodies of the deceased had yet to beryllium recovered for due burial by their respective families.

According to Sani, conscious efforts should beryllium made by applicable authorities agencies for the betterment of the bodies for burial.

He said, fixed that Nigeria was desirous of diversifying its economy, that the mining sub-sector was lucrative capable and should beryllium adequately exploited for the socio-economic improvement of the country.

“As such, the due authorities should, arsenic a substance of urgency and necessity, initiate a thorough probe into the circumstances surrounding the incidental truthful arsenic to place immoderate existing lapses.

“As portion of remedies to bring sanity to the system, strict regulations should beryllium introduced successful bid to support the lives of those who beryllium connected this manufacture for their livelihood.

“It is besides apt for applicable committees of the National Assembly to measurement up their oversight of mining activities crossed the state for the intent of harnessing the benefits that abound successful the sector,’’ helium said.

The Senate, aft observing a infinitesimal of soundlessness successful honour of the victims, commended the Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr Dele Alake, for his swift effect successful monitoring the situation.

The Senate besides urged the Federal Government to travel retired with strict information measures and regulations connected mining activities successful Nigeria successful enactment with planetary champion practices.

The Senate besides called for the deployment of capable information apparatus to the mining communities to support vigilance astir mining areas to forestall further incursions and intrusion by informal miners.

It urged the National Emergency Management Agency and different applicable authorities agencies to expedite actions connected the betterment of the remains of the deceased successful the catastrophe.

According to the precocious chamber, specified betterment volition guarantee that the bereaved families person last closure connected their loved ones.

The Senate besides urged the committee to accelerate the transition of the Mine Ranger Bill presently earlier the Senate.